I Will Remember You
by The Lady Arianrod
Summary: First Zelda fic. Link and Saria songfic to "I Will Remember You"; the two must part with much sorrow... is there something else they want to say? Good-byes aren't forever... a sad fic reflecting on Link's leaving the Kokiri forest.. and a best friend.


I Will Remember You by Takato's Dreamer (rainytears)

a/n: this is my **first** Zelda fic. I just got the game, and it's soooooo addictive! Not to mention great-looking for 1998, and with a complex plot and characters. This story mainly focuses around Link and Saria as he leaves the Kokiri forest; it may be an oft-written about topic, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I'll try to make mine as good as can possibly be.... Enjoy!

Disclaimer: **Nintendo **and some other company owns OOT and all of its related characters. **Sarah Mc Lachan** owns the song "I will remember you". I own the town kids, at least their names! **Some dialogue is taken directly from the game.**

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Link slowly walked out of the Kokiri forest, out of the beautiful, ever-verdant paradise. Taking in one last breath of the fresh, clean forest air, the sure-footed fairy child exited the place he knew as home.

  


He was leaving the people he knew also, like all of the local children: Zoe, Ellis, Sydney, Falcon, and Bliss. They were all kind, curious, bright-eyed youngsters that Link had learned to love over the course of his life. There was something familiar about the shimmering, surreal air of Kokiri Forest that made Link want to stay....

  


But a stir in his heart made the young fairy finally turn his back to the settlement and exit the place... the desire to save this land, and Hyrule, and the world.... from the clutches of a mad, mysterious shadowy knight named Ganondorf. 

  


"_I must go_," Link told himself as he readied his Kokiri Sword and Hero's Shield. The corn shuck-haired boy put his first foot onto the creaky footbridge, the means of exiting Kokiri Forest. He set his mouth in a firm line and prepared himself for the long and lonely journey ahead.

  


"_Sometimes destiny is more important than sentiment_," he thought, wanting to rid himself of the thought-pervading homesickness that only hindered.

  


"Link..." someone said softly.

  


Link's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. He had been so engrossed in his own mission and future that he didn't notice the figure leaning on the bridge a few meters across from him. 

  


It was Saria. She stood still, arms at her sides, painful realization shone from her sapphire eyes as Link looked into them. 

  


"So, I guess you're leaving..." she whispered, eyes now downcast.

  


Link gave a short not, not wanting to upset his best friend. 

  


"Link, I knew that you would leave the forest someday.... "

  


_will remember you  
will you remember me?  
don't let your life pass you by  
weep not for the memories_

  


Saria was having an extremely hard time coping with this. However, simply donning a stoic face, she walked closer to Link. 

  


"Link, you are a very special Kokiri fairy. You were destined to leave.... and even I must accept this. I know that a heart as noble as yours would accept any mission, save anyone in peril or strife," Saria went on, masking sadness with supposed acceptance of the current situation. 

  


But Saria couldn't believe it. Link.... was..... leaving. The one she'd always visit, the one she'd always played with.... life would seem so empty. Link would leave a hole of black loneliness in her life.... 

  


_Remember the good times that we had?   
I let them slip away from us when things got bad  
how clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun  
wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one_

  


  


"_Maybe if I remember those times.... it won't be so bad_," Saria thought sadly, her blue eyes meeting Link's equally vibrant and azure ones. 

  


Those eyes.... they held such memories.... 

  


  


***Flashback***

  


A four-year-old Saria climbed down from her tree house and looked around the rural clearing in the Kokiri forest on that long-ago day.

  


"Link! Link, come on, stop hidin' now!" Saria called, her vibrant green hair flowing loosely behind her. 

  


Link jumped from behind, knocking down the small girl. Both of them tumbled and somersaulted down hills of green, feeling the warmth of the sun close to their innocent faces.

  


"So, you found me fiwst, huh, Link?" Saria asked playfully. He noticed her tone of voice and backed away, expecting some sort of prank. 

  


Saria took out a water balloon and hurled it at Link's head. It burst and soaked his fair locks with pure water of the forest. 

  


"Saria, that's not fair! You aren't nice no more..." he pouted, blue eyes swimming with tears.

  


"Link, I'm so sowwy...." Saria whispered in her little childish voice.

  


"It's okay now. If you're sorry then we're friends again, right Saria?" Link beamed, standing up from the grass. He helped up Saria, only to get her back and tackle-tickle her! 

  


They rolled around laughing and tickling in that green field on a hazy summer day long ago....

  


***Present Day***

  


_ will remember you  
will you remember me?  
don't let your life pass you by  
weep not for the memories_

  


Both of the Kokiri teens snapped back to the present. Link and Saria stood in the silent, cool green of the forest glen, on the gently swaying bridge. A soft breeze swept around the two, spraying a few stray flower petals onto the bridge.

  


"How beautiful..." Saria whispered. She and Link didn't move, though, both wanting to say something and afraid to leave without saying it.

  


_I'm so tired but I can't sleep  
standin' on the edge of something much too deep  
it's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word  
we are screaming inside, but we can't be heard_

  


"Link, I.... just wanted to say that..... I hope that.... we'll be friends forever. Even on those nights by the roadside when you're looking up at the silent, twinkling silver stars, please remember me.... and the way we used to have fun. I know that you'll never leave my memory," Saria admitted, smiling a little.

  


Link smiled at this thought. "_Saria cares for me that much...._" he mused, then opened his mouth. They both had more to say, their minds were practically screaming the few simple words that would break the ice and solve their awkwardness at long last.

  


_but I will remember you  
will you remember me?  
don't let your life pass you by  
weep not for the memories_

  


"_I wonder how old I'll be when Link comes back..... maybe then we can meet at the Sacred Forest Meadow, and we reunite at long last,_" Saria thought, the tears ready to leave her watery eyes.

  


Link felt the gentle breeze once again play through his hair. He saw Saria, feeling an invisible connection he had with her. It was kind of like a friendship but something more.... a mutual understanding, a complete comfort with her. Then why couldn't he say what he wanted to?!

  


_I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose  
clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose  
once there was a darkness, deep and endless night  
you gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light_

  


"Oh, Link...." Saria whispered. He was the boy who had made growing up fun and not so hard as it seemed, he was the one whom she connected with and cared for the most, he was the one she loved....

  


Could she possibly feel this for him? They had known each other for so long... but why was there something different about Link today?

  


"_Because he's never coming back, that's why...._" 

  


Saria bit her lip and nervously took Link's hands. Looking into his eyes, she began to emit a word from her mouth....

  


"Link..... why..... do you have to leave? Oh, now this sounds so selfish! I didn't mean for it to come out this way.... Oh, Link, there's so much I want to say.... but I suppose that someday, when you come back, I'll tell you what my heart longs to exclaim," Saria concluded softly.

  


Link looked a little surprised, but was even more shocked when Saria walked over and tightly hugged the boy. His eyes wide with surprise, he slowly accepted the hug and tightly embraced the green-haired forest fairy. They stood like that for quite a few seconds.

  


_ And I will remember you  
will you remember me?  
don't let your life pass you by  
weep not for the memories_

  


"Link, you are my best friend. I've known you for practically forever, and now it.... feels like you're going to leave me forever. Please, come back and visit some time...." she whispered, on the verge of tears.

  


_And I will remember you..._

  


Link nodded and whispered,

  


"Good-bye, Saria. I'll never forget you and will indeed come back.... but Hyrule needs saving."

  


Their eyes met one last time, but this time they were full of simultaneous hope and sadness. 

  


"Good-byes aren't forever," Link whispered, touching Saria's face softly with his hand before taking a few steps back and leaving swiftly. Any longer and he would break down crying.

  


_Weep not for the memories_

  


Saria felt the warm wind blow one last time. But this wind was the wind of change, not of eternal partings. "Good-bye, Link," she whispered, "And please come back soon.... I love you," she whispered, one tear flowing down her cheek where Link had touched her.

  


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end notes: sad? Sappy? Good? What would you call my first Zelda story? Should I contine...? Review please

  


  


Aren't Link and Saria such a cute and tragic coupling/story? At least on the game he comes back..... and they play ocarinas together.... *sniff*

  


  


  
  



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